Flying-machine.



C. T. JONES.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY16,1918. 1,090,068, Patented Mar. 10, 19M

3 BEBET88HEET 1.

5 wanton 6'. [Za a/ms G. T. JONES.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16,1913.

1,090,068. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. T. JONES.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIONTILED my 1a. 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

3 SHEETS-4111212! 3.

a; w E s GEAR-LIE THOMAS JONES, OF BLYTHEVILLE, ARKANSAS.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed May 16, 1913. Serial No. 768,112.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known at I, CHARLIE T. .JoNns,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Blytheville, in the countyof Mississippi and State of Arkansas, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to flying machines of the heavier-than-air class,and particularly to those of the monoplane type, the primary object ofthe invention being to provide a machine which will develop high speedand is adapted to be readily and easily controlled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flying machine whichwill develop maximum climbing and lifting efiioiency, and which isadapted to be easily launched and landed without excessive shocks orjars.

A further object of theinvention is to provide simple and effectivemeans for maintaining automatic lateral stability, which means willoperate to control the lateral tilting of the machine without affectingor being affected by thelongitudinal tilting of the machine on itstransverse axis in steering the machine upward or downward.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which issimple of construction, which embodies a novel construction of balancingplanes and automatic controlling mechanism therefor, and which alsoembodies a novel arrangement of vertical rudders for steering themachine efiiciently in ither direction laterally, and which alsooperateas vertical stability surfaces to prevent the machine from skidding andto maintain it against the action of side currents of air in a straightline of flight.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a flying machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same. Fig.4 is a diagrammatic view showing the balancing mechanism. I

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main frame of the machine,whlch may be of any suitable construction, and which carries asupporting plane or surface 2. The main frame is provided with a tailextension 3 and has secured thereto a truss bridge 4 from which thewings of the plane are braced by reinforcin wires 5. Depending from thefront of t e main frame are standards 6, reinforced therefrom bysuitable braces 7 and carrying at their lower ends suitably cushionedground wheels or rollers 8. T ese wheels in conjunction with a flexibletrail skid 9 support the machine whenat rest upon the ound to enable themachlne to be launche and landed with a minimum degree of concussion orshocks. The supporting surface or lane is suitably cambered to secure ane cient range of lifting and supporting capacity, with high speed anddirigibility.

The machine is propelled in flight by a front propeller 10 driven from asuitable motor 11.

Upon the main frame is supported the aviators seat 12, and bctwen saidseat and the propeller is arranged a pyramidalshaped shield 13, adaptedto protect the aviator from the force of the wind, as well as frombullets or other missiles when the machine is employed for scouting andthe like in military use. The shield operates to defiect the airlaterally so that the balancing planes, hereinafter described, will besub jected normally to substantially equal pressures, enabling themachine to be more perfectly controlled and its balance accuratelymaintained.

The tail frame 3 supports a horizontal rudder 14 carrying a verticalstability fin 15. The rudder is mounted to swing upon a transverse axis16 to which are attached upwardly and downwardly extending crank arms 17from which wires or other suitable connections 18 lead to a suitablecontrolling device 19. This rudder operates to normally maintain theflying attitude of the machine and to hold it straight on its course oftravel, and is adjustable by means of the controlling device to steerthe machine upward or downward. A coiled spring 20 connects one of thearms 17 with the tail frame to maintain the rudder in its normalposition, thus obviating the necessity of the operator maintainingconstant hold of the control device.

The machine is adapted to be steered laterally by a pair of verticalrudders 21 disposed beneath the body of the supporting surface onopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, said ruddersbeing hinged or pivoted at their front edges to the main frame so as tobe swung inwardly from a normal position parallel with the line offlight. Each rudder is connected at its rear or free edge with the mainframe by a coiled spring 21, which serves to returnto unwind from thedrum when the other is wound thereon, so that in adjusting each rudderfor a steering action the other rudder willbeleft unaffected to serve asa stability surface. side of the machineis adjusted inwardly into thepath of the wind to steer the machine to the right, While the rudder 21at the left hand side of the machine is adjusted inwardly to steer themachine to the left. In making these adjust-ing movements, the operatorturns the steering wheel instinctively toward the direction in which itis desired to make the turn. This form of steering mechanism, inaddition to its stabilizing action, gives complete control in steeringthe machine laterally and banking the same in making turns.

Arranged at the opposite sidesof the main frame are balancing planes 25and 26, each -m0unted adjacent its forward edge upon the main frame toswing vertically upon a horizontal transverse axis 27, and each providedwith a rearwardly extending operating arm 28. The said arms 28 areconnected at their rear ends by universal sleeve joints 29 to theopposite ends of an intermediately pivoted, transversely andhorizontally disposed, vertically swinging lever 30, the arms of whichare coupled by pivot joints 31 to the rear ends of a pair oflongitudinally extending parallel transmission levers 32. These levers32 are attached mid way of their-ends to independent horizontaltransverse'rods or shafts 33journaled in a suitable bearing34 so as topermit said rods to rock in a fore and. aft direction. The forward endsof the transmission levers 32 are pivoted thereto to swing in a fore andaft direction, said rod carrying at its lower end a basket or otherweighted member or re- The rudder 21 at the right hand ceptacle 4:1. Thebracket, rod and receptacle act as a unit to form a penduluni leverwhich when the machine tilts laterally maintains a positionperpendicular to the earths surface, to effect a relative movementbetween the lever 36 and the body of the machine, and which has its weihted member free to swing in a fore and aft chine is tiltedlongitudinally for ascent or descent, so that the balancing mechanismwill not interfere with the pivotal motion of the machine on itstransverse axis for an up or down steering action. understood that whenthe machine tilts laterally in one direction, say toward the left, theleft and right hand arms of the lever '36 will be respectively adjustedupwardly and downwardly and will tilt the levers 32 in oppositedirections to throw the balancing plane 26 downward for a lifting actionat the depressed side and to throw the balancing plane 25 upward tosecure a depressing action at the elevated side, whereby the lateralbalancing of the machine will be restored. .When the machine tilts inthe op posite direction the balancing planes will be reversely tilted torestore the lateral balancing, simple and effective means thus beingprovided for maintaining automatic lateral stability without interferingwith the steering of the machine either longitudinally or laterally.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,the construction and mode of operation and advantages of my improvedflying machine will be readily understood, and it will be seen thatadvantages of importance are attained which enable a machine to becontrolled with ease and high speed to be obtained. Inasmuch as thebalancing mechanism is entirely automatic, while the steering devicesare of a type which do not require constant attention, it will be seenthat'the aviator will be given sufficient time to make observations,drop projectiles, and to perform other services, rendering the machineparticularly available for observation and military work. Theconstruction and arrangement of the balancing planes, vertical ruddersand shield, not only provide for the protection of the aviator from airpressure and missiles, but for an equal distribution of the air towardthe opposite sides of the machine to render the operation of thebalancing planes direction when the ina- It will thus be and rudderscomplementary in character,

sides of the gliding structure, means for adjusting the same, a motordriven shaft carrying a propeller, balancing planes mounted at the rightand left hand sides of the machine for adjustment in opposite directionsin unison, and a shield disposed between the propeller and aviators seatand having inclined guiding surfaces for directing the air pressureequally toward the supporting surface, rudders and balancing planes.

2. In a flying machine, a gliding structure, balancing planes mounted totilt vertically at the right and left hand sides of said structure,front and rear vertically swinging lovers, the latter being operativelyconnected on opposite sides of its pivot with said balancing planes, aconnection between the lovers for tilting the rear lever oppositely tothe front lever when the latter is actuated, and a pendulum controllingsaid front lever.

3. In a flying machine, a gliding structurc, pivoted vertically movablebalancing planes at the opposite sides of the gliding structure, avertically swinging lever operatively connected with said planes onopposite sides of its pivot, a correspondingly mounted operating lever,rocking elements connecting the similar ends of said levers and pivotedat points between the same, and a. pendulum controlling the operatinglever.

4. In a flying machine, a gliding structure, pivoted vertically swingingbalancing planes at the opposite sides thereof, front and rearintermediately pivoted vertically swinging levers, the arms of the rearlever being plvotally connected with the respective balancing planes,rock shafts disposed between the two levers, transmission leversintermediately connected with the rock shafts and pivotally coupled attheir ends to said front and rear shafts, and a pendulum controlling thefront shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLIE THOMAS JONES.

Witnesses:

T. W. DAVIS, Znrn OBRIEN.

